The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-06-01
DWARFS AND GIANTS.
Specimens Of Each Glass Belong.
ing to Plant Life.
The "Blood Rains' of History-Two Hardy
Leayes--Wonderful Bamboo Growths-
Trees Higher Than the Pyramids
Huge Marine Cables.

Trees Higher Than the Pyramids
Huge Marine Cables.
In 1916 the inhabitants of the coun-
try in the vicinity of Lyons, France,
awoke one morning to find that an I'M
usual and remarkable visitation had
appeared during the night. The sun
rose like red ball, casting lurid rays
aloft; the air seemed to be filled with
fine, impalpable dust, and, as the day
grew, the surface of the earth was seen
to be covered with fine, red powder.
The roofs of houses, the grass, fences,
animals, in fact, every thing, were
transformed in a single night.
At nearly the same time vessels sail
ing one thousand miles from the coast
OF Africa had their decks, sails and
rigging covered in similar way,
causing the sailors to believe that some
fearful disaster was at hand, as wherever
water struck the decks the red powder or
dust mixed with it, seemingly turning
to blood. A large number of vessels
experienced the same phenomenon,
and from later computation it was g.
timated that the "blood rain" covered
an area of more than a million square
miles.
In the year 1855 similar phenome-
non appeared at Lake Maggiore, in
Northern Italy. For over two hundred
square leagues the surface presented a
blood-red hue, while the snow upon the
Alps assumed similar color, so that
the majestic peaks seemed capped in
vivid red. The snow held this
hue for a depth of nine feet,
showing that the flakes had been
colored while in mid-air, while on
the surface of the ground the coloring
matter was about two inches deep, it
being estimated that there was an
amount equal to about two thousand
seven hundred cubic feet for every En-
glish mile.
For many centuries the blood-rains
were source of terror, but finally a
scientist collected some of the powder,
and, aided by microscopic examination,
found that it was made up of the re-
mains of animals and plants, princi-
pally the latter, which are known as
diatoms. They were the dwarfs of
plantslife, caught up in inconceivable
numbers by the wind, and borne away
through the air to great heights miles
above the earth. there remaining sus-
pended, perhaps for months or years,
finally being precipitated to the sur
face.
The red hue was owing to the pres
ence Of red oxide of iron. In one show
er forty-nine different species of plants
were found; in another, at Calabria,
sixty-four, and it has been estimated
that during the shower at Lyons, above
mentioned, over seven hundred thou
sand pounds of organic matter fell to
the earth, of which ninety thousand
were parts of these minute plants,
that under the microscope present a
beautiful appearance, owing to the
wonderful diversity and structure of
their forms.
In the far north we find low, bush
IKE plants creeping near the rocks, as
II Tor shelter, which, upon exami ma
tlon, are found to be identical with the
great trees farther south, here reduced
In size by the rigors of the Arctic win
ter The Japanese delight in attempt
ing improvements upon both animals
and plants, and in the latter they have
produced some remarkable results,
one OF the most striking cases ever
seen being an apple tree four inches
nigh, covered with ripe apples, each
about as large as a current. Both
leaves and fruit were perfect in shape.
color and vigor, and only reduced in
size.
Dwarfs are not always produced by
extremes Of cold. Near Cape Negro,
in Africa, ON plateau about six miles
wide and three hundred miles long, is
found curious tree, named after its
discoverer, Dr. Welwitsch. The di.
ameter of the stem is about four feet,
but the entire tree is only one foot
high. presenting curious appear
ance, especially as it possesses only
two woody leaves, that have to last
during its life, as no others appear.
These dwarfs look like round tables
scattered over the sandy plain. the two
leaves, often six feet long, and broken
up into ribbons, extending outward,
and waving in the wind like signals al
distress. AS unfavorable circumstances
tend to produce diminutive plants, the
reverse, in many cases, results in
actual giants. In our common plants